Razor head

ABSTRACT

A razor head having a cap portion mounted thereon and adapted to pivot upon one end of the razor head, the cap being held and released by a hook latch means disposed in the razor head.

United States Patent Stephenson et al.

[451 Mar. 21, 1972 RAZOR HEAD Charles F. Stephenson, Rowayton; KennethA. Van Dyck, Weston; James B. Wyatt, Stamford, all of Conn.

The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass.

Apr. 8, 1970 [72] Inventors:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

US. Cl ..30/58, 30/59 .B26b 21/30, B26b 21/32 Field of Search ..30/58,59, 60, 61

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[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,395,272 2/1946 Hellmann30/60 Primary Examiner-Andrew R. J uhasz Assistant Examiner-Gary L.Smith Attorney-Philip Colman, Oistein J. Bra derson and Scott R. Fostertlie, William M. An-

ABSTRACT A razor head having a cap portion mounted thereon and adaptedto pivot upon one end of the razor head. the cap being held and releasedby a hook latch means disposed in the razor head.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMARZ] I972 SHEET 1 OF 2 I N VEN TORSCharles F. Stephenson Kenneth Van Dyck James B. Wyaff F1 3 By Affor eyRAZOR HEAD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates to razor heads and is directed more particularly to arazor head having a cap portion arranged for pivotal movement upon oneend of the razor head.

2. Description of the Prior Art Several razors well known in the artutilize a razor head having cap portions which are mounted for pivotalmovement upon either side of the razor head. Generally, two cap portionsare mounted on the razor head and open and close in a clam shell mannerresponsive to rotation of a nut member by an operator. Several turns ofthe nut are usually required in order to move the cap portions from afully closed position to a fully opened position, as to replace a razorblade, and several turns again required to fully close the cap portionsupon the razor blade.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide a razor head having cap portion means mounted thereon andadapted to be opened and closed by a single quick motion, as opposed toseveral turns of an opening and closing nut means.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, afeature of the present invention is a provision of the razor headcomprising a frame, a cap portion pivotally mounted upon one end of theframe, hook latch means disposed in the frame for releasably retainingthe cap portion in a position overlying the frame, andactuator meansattached to the frame and engageable with the hook latch means fordisengaging the hook latch means from the cap portion.

The above and other features of the invention, including various noveldetails of construction and combinations of parts, will now be moreparticularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particulardevice embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only andnot as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features ofthis invention may be employed in various and numerous embodimentswithout departing from the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings in which there is shown an illustrative embodiment of theinvention from which its novel features and advantages will be apparent.

FIG. 1 is an elevational side view, partly in section, showing one formof razor illustrative of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational end view, partly in section, of the razor head;

FIG. 3 is an elevational side view, partly in section;

FIG. 4 is an elevational end view, partly in section;

FIG. 5 is an elevational sectional side view, similar to FIG. 3, butshowing an alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an elevational sectional side view, similar to FIGS. 3 and 5,but showing an additional alternative embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an elevational sectional side view, similar to FIGS. 3, 5 and6, but showing still another alternative embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational sectional end view of the razor head shown inFIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1-4, it willbe seen that the illustrative invention comprises a frame 2 supporting apivot pin 4 on which is mounted a cap portion 6. The cap portion 6 isprovided with a catch piece 8 engageable with a hook latch assembly 10disposed in a cavity 12 in the frame 2. When the cap portion 6 is in theclosed position, it overlies the frame 2, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, andthe catch piece 8 is engaged with the hook latch assembly 10 to lock thecatch piece in the closed position.

The hook latch assembly 10 includes a hook member 14 having a pivot pin16, the ends of which are mounted for free movement in opposed grooves18. A spring means 20 is disposed in the cavity 12 and biases the hookpivot pin 16 downwardly, as viewed in the drawings. The hook member 14includes a hook cam surface 22 which is engageable with the catch piece8 and operates to cause the hook member 14 to pivot into lockingengagement with the catch piece 8.

The frame member 2 includes an opening 24 which receives an actuator 26having a bifurcated portion 28 which engages an actuating pin 30 fixedto the hook member 14, whereby movement of the actuator, as by anoperator, causes movement of the hook member upon the pivot pin 16. Thebifurcated portion 28 of the actuator 26 is slidingly disposed upon aninclined surface 32 of the cavity 12. The surface 32 is provided with aprojection 34 which operates as a stop means for the actuator 26.

Still referring to FIGS. 1-4, there will now be described the operationof the device, starting with the cap portion in the position shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. While the cap 6 is in the open position a new blade 36may be placed on the frame 2 and the cap member 6 closed upon the blade,as by operator finger pressure. Such movement of the cap member 6 causesthe lower surface of the catch member 8 to contact the hook cam surface22 and rotate the hook member 14 upon the pivot pin 16 to cause the hookmember to engage the catch piece and thereby retain the cap portion. Asthe free end of the catch piece causes the hook to rotate upon its pivotpin 16, which is located in the guide grooves 18 of the razor head, theactuating pin 30 in the base of the hook member causes the actuator 26to slide downwardly and leftwardly, as viewed in the drawings, along theinclined surface 32, to extend outwardly through the opening 24 in theframe 2. As the hook member 14 rotates, its pivot pin 16 movesdownwardly in the guide grooves 18, biased by the spring means 20. Suchdownward movement of the hook member 14 pulls the cap member 6 snuglyclosed under the force of the spring means.

When it is desired to open the razor head, the actuator 26 is pushedinwardly of the razor head, as by operator finger pressure, and operatesto move the hook member 14 upwardly and to rotate the hook member so asto terminate the locking engagement of the hook member with the catchpiece 8, and causing the hook pin surface 22 to contact the catch piece8 and exercise an upwardly pushing force upon the catch piece, wherebyto cause the catch piece to be rapidly ejected from the hook latchassembly. The projection 34 stops inwardly movement of the actuator 26.

With reference to FIG. 5, there will now be discussed a firstalternative embodiment of the invention. The embodiment shown in FIG. 5is substantially the same as that above described with reference toFIGS. 1-4, except that the projection 34 has been removed and a detent40 placed upon the inclined surface 32. The detent 40 has the efiect ofholding the push button more securely in the open hook position. Thedetent 40 also contributes further to the rapidity of the flip-openmotion. When the actuator 26 is pushed inwardly, the actuator proceedsslidingly along the inclined surface 32 and engages the detent 40 whichprovides a resisting force to the sliding movement of the actuator.Additional pressure on the actuator by the operator overcomes theobstructing force of the detent 40. As the actuator slides over thedetent 40, the resisting force of the detent rapidly decreases and theactuator slides rapidly to the inward most position. Such motion istransferred through the hook cam surface 22 to the catch piece 8,increasing the velocity of the hook cap opening motion.

In FIG. 6 there is shown a second alternative embodiment in which thereis utilized a toggle link 50 pivotally mounted upon the actuator 26. Oneend 52 of the toggle link is anchored in the frame 2 and a second end 54of the toggle link is pivotally attached to the actuating pin 30. A lostmotion slot 56 is provided in the toggle link 50 to facilitate linearmovement of the hook member 14 upwardly and downwardly. The toggle linkembodiment provides essentially the same motions and effect as thepreviously described embodiments, but acts with less frictionalresistance and therefore acts to decrease the push button force requiredat the end of the inward motion of the actuator, while still supplying arapid flip motion to the cap member 6.

ln FIGS. 7 and 8 there is shown substantially the same embodiment asabove described, with reference to FIGS. 1-4, but in combination with anadjustment feature permitting adjustment of the blade exposure. In thisembodiment the cavity 12 receives a ferrule 60 having internal threads62 engaging a threaded shank 64 fixed to a guard 66. Thus, rotation ofthe ferrule 60 causes axial movement of the shank 64 and thereby likemovement of the guard 66. Downward movement of the guard 66 increasesthe exposure of the blade 36 disposed in the razor head. Upward movementof the guard 66 results in the platform being closer to the blade 36thereby reducing the exposure of the blade. The upper part of the guardis disposed on top of the spring 20 so that the spring exercises abiasing pressure upon the guard to take up manufactured plays in theadjustment mechanism. Thus, by providing a spring bias under the guardthe plays in the threads of the adjustment ferrule 60, the guard shank64, the surfaces that engage the ferrule, and the frame surfaces thatsupport the ferrule are substantially eliminated.

it is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limitedto the particular construction herein disclosed and/or shown in thedrawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within thescope of the disclosure.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Razor head comprising a frame, said frame being fixed to one end of ahandle portion and extending generally normal thereto, said frame havinga cavity therein, a ramp disposed in said cavity, a cap portionpivotally mounted on said frame, catch means fixed to said cap portionand extending therefrom, hook means adapted to cooperate with said catchmeans and mounted for pivotal and linear movement in said cavity, springmeans disposed in said cavity to influence linear movement of said hookmeans, and actuator means extending from said cavity and engaged withsaid hook means and slidable on said ramp in directions transverse tothe axis of said handle portion to cause rotative and linear movement ofsaid hook means.

2. Razor head comprising a frame having a cavity therein, a cap portionpivotally mounted on said frame, catch means fixed to said cap portionand extending therefrom, hook means adapted to cooperate with said catchmeans and including pin means extending from either side thereof, endsof said pin means disposed in opposed parallel grooves in said razorhead, spring means disposed in said cavity and abutting said pin meansto bias said hook means, and actuator means operable to move said hookmeans against said spring bias.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which an inclined ramp definesone wall of said cavity and said actuator means is slidably disposed onsaid ramp.

4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said actuator means isengaged with said hook means.

5. The invention according to claim 3 including detent means projectingfrom said ramp and engageable by said actuator means.

6. The invention according to claim 5 in which said actuator means isslidably movable over said detent means.

7. The invention according to claim 2 in which said actuator meanscomprises an actuator having a toggle link mounted thereon for pivotaland linear movement relative to said actuator, one end of said togglelink being pivotally connected to said hook means.

8. The invention according to claim 2 including a ramp disposed in saidcavity, said actuator means being slidably disposed on said ramp.

9. The invention according to claim 1 in which said actuator means ispivotally connected to said hook means.

1. Razor head comprising a frame, said frame being fixed to one end of ahandle portion and extending generally normal thereto, said frame havinga cavity therein, a ramp disposed in said cavity, a cap portionpivotally mounted on said frame, catch means fixed to said cap portionand extending therefrom, hook means adapted to cooperate with said catchmeans and mounted for pivotal and linear movement in said cavity, springmeans disposed in said cavity to influence linear movement of said hookmeans, and actuator means extending from said cavity and engaged withsaid hook means and slidable on said ramp in directions transverse tothe axis of said handle portion to cause rotative and linear movement ofsaid hook means.
 2. Razor head comprising a frame having a cavitytherein, a cap portion pivotally mounted on said frame, catch meansfixed to said cap portion and extending therefrom, hook means adapted tocooperate with said catch means and including pin means extending fromeither side thereof, ends of said pin means disposed in opposed parallelgrooves in said razor head, spring means disposed in said cavity andabutting said pin means to bias said hook means, and actuator meansoperable to move said hook means against said spring bias.
 3. Theinvention according to claim 2 in which an inclined ramp defines onewall of said cavity and said actuator means is slidably disposed on saidramp.
 4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said actuator meansis engaged with said hook meaNs.
 5. The invention according to claim 3including detent means projecting from said ramp and engageable by saidactuator means.
 6. The invention according to claim 5 in which saidactuator means is slidably movable over said detent means.
 7. Theinvention according to claim 2 in which said actuator means comprises anactuator having a toggle link mounted thereon for pivotal and linearmovement relative to said actuator, one end of said toggle link beingpivotally connected to said hook means.
 8. The invention according toclaim 2 including a ramp disposed in said cavity, said actuator meansbeing slidably disposed on said ramp.
 9. The invention according toclaim 1 in which said actuator means is pivotally connected to said hookmeans.